Two years after On Purpose: Where are they now? With Joe Rodgers

Can you tell us about your background and your career prior to On Purpose?

I worked at Ernst & Young (EY) for about 7 years. At EY I worked in mergers and acquisitions, advising on tax restructuring in private equity.

Before that though I studied natural sciences and majored in sustainable chemistry and environmental sciences. So I always knew I wanted to do something that would hopefully make the world a better place.

Why did you join the On Purpose Associate Programme?

I applied to the Associate Programme at the end of summer in 2020. It was the middle of Covid and I had just been at home working late. During the pandemic, the fun and noise of London stopped and I really just had my job to focus on. I realised that I didn’t find my job fulfilling and I also wanted my work to mean something, to have a positive impact.

I said this in my Associate interview - finding out about On Purpose was really a light bulb moment for me. I had thought about a career change before and had seen a few jobs I was interested in but the Associate Programme just felt like the perfect springboard into the impact space.

It's been just over two years since you completed the Associate Programme. What are you doing now?

I now work at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in the finance initiative. As part of a small team, I work towards mobilising capital for the circular economy. I've had the opportunity to work across the Foundation, for example with the food, fashion, plastic and design teams, which has been great. I really see finance as an enabler to realise the circular economy within all those areas.

Can you tell us more about your placements?

My first placement was at Pinter, an organisation that makes a brew-at-home beer product. Their headquarters were in a warehouse in Walthamstow, north London, so the team could be together during Covid-19 regulations and we were also able to have a few beer tastings! For my placement I was developing the business’ sustainability strategy and carbon reporting and I enjoyed both a lot.

My second placement was with Do Nation, a habit-change platform looking to engage employees to create and implement sustainable behaviours in everyday life. Do Nation was quite a small organisation with about ten people, which was fun! Here, I was working on a pricing strategy and supported impact reporting processes.

What’s the most important thing you learnt during your year as an Associate?

The first thing that comes to mind is that I really learnt to trust myself. A lot of the conversations I had as part of my year as an Associate, be that as part of the life and career coaching or having chats with my cohort. All of it helped me ‘work myself out’.

I realised: trust yourself because the sense of what you want, finding something fulfilling and purposeful, is an important feeling to nurture. And, ultimately, that’ll make you happier than listening to what the world is telling you to do.

What support did you get along the way?

My cohort was incredible! A very supportive group throughout it all.

My mentors were also super helpful during the programme, while my coach Patrick Ballin was absolutely amazing, particularly in the three months after finishing the programme. We kept our sessions going while I was finding my feet (and a job of course!) which was incredibly valuable!

How did you approach finding a job after the programme?

I did a lot of different things. I spoke to many people in the On Purpose network and community. I nearly got a job with one of On Purpose’s placements, however that fell through in the end. For my job search, I used all the classic job sites and also emailed people at companies I found interesting. However, I actually found the job I’m in now on the On Purpose Slack. It was posted by my ‘On Purpose buddy’, so I messaged her and then applied.

What do you miss about your old career, and what don’t you miss?

My old job had very nice offices and I sometimes miss that.

I definitely don't miss the ‘boys club’ culture…

What advice would you give to others in a similar situation?

Just do it! We need as many people as possible to work towards something good. The world would be a better place if you took the leap and worked in a purpose-led role - so just go for it!